The Blade of Aslan
by Ben-Max
Summary: Alternate story after "Prince Caspian." The Pevensies all go back and fight the son of King Miraz
1. PrologueThe Narnian Oak

-This is a story that I've been thinking about for a while now and am finally getting it written. This is what I have so far. Pretty much all of the concepts are in my head, so it should't be long before I complete  
  
it. I'll update as often as I can.-  
  
The Blade of Aslan  
  
As an alternate story after "Prince Caspian," Edmund, Lucy, and including Peter and Susan, somehow, manage to get their way back to Narnia and must fight a Telemarine army led by Parlex, the son of King Miraz and cousin to King Caspian. But this new leader carries with him a mystical sword  
  
believed to have been a myth: the legendary blade of Aslan.  
  
-Prologue-  
  
Peter and Susan turned around to leave after Aslan had explained to them that they were too old to come back to Narnia. They had only walked a few steps before Aslan called back, "Peter, may I have another word with you please?"  
  
Peter stopped and turned around to face Aslan again. "Of course Aslan. What is it?"  
  
"How do you feel about never coming back to Narnia?"  
  
"Well, honestly I'm a little disappointed, but I guess it's not my decision."  
  
"You are wrong, Peter. The decision is, and always has been, your own. You and Susan both know in your hearts that you have grown too old. But you do not yet realize it in your minds."  
  
Peter thought about that and nodded. "I see what you mean, Aslan."  
  
"However, decisions can always be remade."  
  
Peter perked up a little and said, "You mean I can still come back if I choose to? Then I choose to come back again."  
  
"It is not that simple. This is a decision that only be made after something else is brought into focus: Edmund."  
  
"What about Edmund? He'll be coming back too, won't he?"  
  
"Yes, he will. But when he next returns, he will be older than you are now. He will be on the verge of becoming a man. And because of that, he will be facing new enduring trials here. Challenges beyond anything any of you have faced. And he will face them, because he wishes to be as great as you. He will succeed, but it will claim his life. He will die."  
  
"No! Aslan please, don't let him come back to Narnia!"  
  
"Peter, have I not explained it to you? The decision is with all of you. He has already made his decision in his heart that he will come back. As powerful as I may be, I cannot take the power of choice away from anyone."  
  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
  
"That is a decision that you will have to make. And I believe that you have already made it."  
  
"What? What did I decide?"  
  
"You will learn that in time. Once the moment of choice comes, your heart will tell your mind what you chose. Remember Peter, Edmund must know of none of this. All you may tell him is that you have grown too old to come to Narnia."  
  
"Yes, Aslan."  
  
"I know it is hard, Peter. But you must have the strength to stand aside and let him make his choices as they come. Just as you have done. Now go. You must say good-bye before you go back to your world."  
  
Peter turned back around and walked back to where his sisters and brother were standing, saying farewell to Caspian.  
  
Chapter One  
  
Three years later.  
  
Edmund and Lucy had just gotten home from boarding school for the summer a few hours ago and were greeted by Peter and Susan who came home to surprise them with a visit. After the initial handshakes, hugs, and basic chitchats, Edmund went upstairs to his bedroom to lay down on his bed. He was still in his school uniform, except for the tie, which he had tossed onto his dresser drawer and the top couple of buttons of his shirt were also undone.  
  
He simply laid there, staring up at the wall thinking when Peter came into his room, still wearing his suit. Peter had finished boarding school two years ago and had gotten a job working in a bank in London. Peter seemed to be proud of his job, but Edmund cringed at the thought of spending his whole life working in a bank. Now that he was going to be starting his last year of boarding school in the fall, he knew that his father and teachers would be speaking with him about careers.  
  
Peter took a couple of steps inside Edmund's room and said, "Susan and Lucy were talking about going out for a walk in the park. Do you want to go?"  
  
Edmund sat up and thought for a moment before shrugging and saying, "Sure, why not?"  
  
Peter looked at him and said, "Is something wrong, Ed?"  
  
"It's just...it's been three years now."  
  
Peter understood right away what he was talking about, because he had been dreading this conversation for three years now. "You mean since we last went to Narnia."  
  
"Yeah. I'm starting to think that maybe I won't be going back after all."  
  
"Don't talk that way, Ed. You know you're going to go back someday."  
  
"Peter, I'm older than you were when we last went and Aslan told you that you were too old. It feels like I've missed the boat. I guess I should just go ahead and accept the fact that I'll never be going back again."  
  
For a moment, Peter was relieved to hear that. But soon, Peter felt guilty for thinking that way. It was being selfish and he knew that perfectly well. "Come on, Ed. What will happen, will happen. I think a walk outside will do you some good." Edmund nodded and Peter continued. "Good. I'll see you downstairs, Ed."  
  
After Peter was gone, Edmund said, "It's Edmund. Ed makes me sound like a little boy. I'm not a boy anymore."  
  
---------------------------------  
  
The park was unusually empty for a Sunday afternoon. Peter, Susan, and Lucy were all walking ahead, talking and laughing. Edmund, deep in thought, was walking several feet behind them with his hands in his pockets and looking down at the ground.  
  
He stopped when he noticed a large old oak tree. It was unusual to see an oak tree in this part of the park, because all of the others were pine trees. The others kept walking, not noticing that Edmund was not behind them anymore. He was just staring at the tree and couldn't take his eyes off of it.  
  
Peter finally noticed and called out to him, "Ed! What is it? Come on, don't fall behind!"  
  
But Edmund didn't even hear him. He was mesmerized by the tree. He stared at the strange patterns on the bark. It became all that he could see, all he could focus on. Almost as if everything had slipped away from the world but he and the oak tree...  
  
Suddenly, Edmund snapped into alertness as an arrow whizzed just inches from his face and into the oak tree he was facing. Edmund turned around and the park was gone. What he saw before him was a battle. By the patterns of the armor of one side, Edmund could tell that they were a Narnian army. Who the other side was, he couldn't be sure.  
  
But he had no time to figure it out, because a soldier of that army saw Edmund and charged at him, screaming with his sword held up over his head with both hands. Instinctively, Edmund crouched down in a fighting stance. Just as the soldier reached him, Edmund fell onto his right side, lifting his left up to catch the soldier's legs. He locked his feet together and twisted his body, making the soldier fall straight down onto his face. The sword went scattering away.  
  
Edmund bolted up to his feet and picked up the sword. Just as the soldier got to his knees Edmund had the sword edge at his neck. "All right, who are you? What is this battle about?"  
  
The warrior said nothing. Edmund was thinking about shoving the blade into his neck a little more to make him talk, before he noticed the silhouette of someone else running at him.   
  
As the silhouette got closer, he heard the shouting of, "Ed! Ed! Wait, over here!"  
  
Edmund realized the person running to him was Peter. When he reached Edmund, he asked, "Peter? What are you doing here? Aslan said that you wouldn't ever be coming back because you were too old. Is Susan here?"  
  
Still breathing heavy, Peter said, "Yes, she is. And so is Lucy. I've got them in hiding while I came out to look for you."  
  
During this time, the soldier had gotten to his feet and ran away. Edmund was about to run after him, but Peter stopped him. "No, Ed! Let him go. Until we know what this battle is about, we shouldn't be fighting."  
  
Edmund nodded and Peter ran off back to Susan and Lucy with Edmund following close behind. While he ran, Edmund looked down at the new sword in his hand and smiled a little. 


	2. No More Security

Chapter Two  
No More Security  
  
Back behind a large brush, Susan and Lucy kept their eyes peeled for Peter and Edmund. "Where do you think Edmund is, Susan?"  
  
"I'm not sure Lucy, but Peter will find him, wherever he is. I just hope he finds Ed before somebody harms him."  
  
"Or before he harms somebody."  
  
Susan nodded slowly. She was only too aware of what happens when Edmund is forced into a fight. She shuddered and lowered her eyes in thought. "We'll worry about that if we have to. I'm still working on why Peter and I are here. We weren't supposed to come back."  
  
"I guess we'll have time to figure all of that out soon." Lucy was going to continue, but she stopped when she saw Peter and Edmund running towards them.  
  
When they reached Susan and Lucy, Susan got to her feet and said, "Thank goodness you two are all right. Edmund wasn't in any danger, was he?"  
  
Peter said, "No. Just the opposite, actually."  
  
Edmund smiled and said nothing. He just raised his new sword into the air, as if it were a trophy.  
  
Susan looked as if she were about to scold Edmund and began to say, "Ed! Don't tell me that you've already-"  
  
Edmund started to get upset. He had already had enough of his older sister treating him like his mother. "-Of course I didn't. Just what do you think I am?"  
  
Peter raised his eyebrows and started to agree with Susan. "Well, I did see you with the sword against that soldier's throat. If I hadn't gotten there when I did, you'd have-"  
  
Susan got angry again and said, "You see? Ed, you have really got to start watching your temper. It's going to get you into trouble, some day."  
  
Now it was Edmund's turn to get angry. "I wasn't going to kill anybody! I was just trying to get some answers from him! Peter just got there before I could find out anything!"  
  
Susan yelled back, "Well, you didn't have to put a sword to his throat!"  
  
"Susan, just how many battles have you been involved in? And I'm not talking about just off to the side watching! How many battles have you fought in? Had your blood spilt in? Where you put your life on the line? None! When you want to get answers from an enemy, force is all they understand!"  
  
Lucy stepped up to Susan and put a hand on her shoulder. "Susan, calm down. Nothing is wrong here. We don't have the time for another one of your debates with Edmund on fighting."  
  
"Lucy, he's going to hear it until he understands the truth! Ed, just how do you know he was an enemy? We don't know anything about this battle yet!"  
  
"Well, the fact that he was charging at me with his sword gave me a pretty damn good idea of his intentions! I don't know about you, but when someone charges at me with a weapon, I see an enemy!"  
  
Peter got in between both of them and yelled above them both. "All right! That's just about enough out of both of you! Lucy is right. We don't have time for this right now. In fact, if I never had to hear you two go on about this ever again, I'd be a happy man."  
  
Edmund nodded, but he didn't take it out of his mind. He had gotten pretty fed up with Susan's bleeding heart takes on life. "We should probably head for Cair Paravel. It makes the most sense to me to head for the only definite safe haven in Narnia."  
  
Lucy said, "But we don't even know where we are yet. How can we be sure where to head for?"  
  
Peter pointed at a lake and said, "That Lake Ferstandt. I can tell by the size and shape of it. And that's just two miles southeast of Cair Paravel. So we just walk northwest of the lake and we're there."  
  
Edmund nodded and said, "So, we're all in agreement? To Cair Paravel?"  
  
Lucy said, "To Cair Paravel."  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
About half a mile down the path to Cair Paravel, Lucy found the wounded body of a Narnian soldier. "Everybody stop!" They all stopped and turned around back to Lucy.  
  
Lucy knelt down to the soldier just as he began to open his eyes just enough for them to be slits. Healing was Lucy's expertise, so they left it to her.  
  
Weakly, the soldier breathed, "who...who are you?"  
  
Lucy smiled and said quietly, "My name is Lucy. This is my sister, Susan. And my brothers, Peter and Edmund."  
  
"You...you are the great kings and queens of Narnia, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, we are."  
  
The soldier smiled and said, "Thank goodness you're here. Narnia needs you now more than ever. I'm glad that I can at least die happy with the knowledge that you are here to save us."  
  
Peter stepped forward and asked, "Who is behind this attack on Narnia?"  
  
"It is the Telemarines. Led by Parlex, the son of King Miraz."  
  
It suddenly dawned on Peter. "That's right! When last we came here, Miraz had just had a son. That's why Caspian had to flee. Come, we can take you with us to Cair Paravel so we can heal you."  
  
"No. We cannot. That's what his last battle was about. That's how I was wounded. Parlex has seized Cair Paravel."  
  
Edmund felt like a rock has formed in his stomach. "That's not possible! We spent years building the security of Cair Paravel! It would take thousands of soldiers to seize Cair Paravel. There aren't nearly that many Telemarines left!"  
  
"No...you're right. There are not that many Telemarines. Parlex seized the castle with one 500 soldiers."  
  
Now it was Peter's turn to be shocked. "500?! That's not possible! How could Parlex have seized the castle with so few soldiers?"  
  
"Because...because he carries with him.Aslan's blade."  
  
Susan finally spoke. "Aslan's blade? But that's just a myth. It doesn't really exist."  
  
"That's...what we all thought. But believe me...it really does exist...and Parlex possesses it now. It was with that blade that I lay here dying."  
  
Lucy felt tears well up in her eyes. "If only I had my potion with me, you would live."  
  
"No..."  
  
"What do you mean, no? Of course I could-"  
  
"No...I mean...potion...is gone...none left..."  
  
Lucy's eyes grew wide. "How...how can it be gone?"  
  
Edmund placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "It's been over a thousand years since Aslan gave it to you, Lucy. It's incredible that it's lasted this long."  
  
"Please...save...Narnia..." With that the soldier closed his eyes and died.  
  
Peter had a grim look on his face. "Well, that's it then."  
  
Susan stood next to him and asked, "What are you talking about?"  
  
Peter looked at her and then all of them. "Don't you see? That potion has saved all of our lives on more occasions than I care to think about. Now it's all gone. None of us are safe anymore." Peter held a look with Edmund and said just above a whisper, "Suddenly, Narnia seems to be a more dangerous place, by far." 


	3. The Myth of Aslan's Blade

Chapter Three The Myth of Aslan's Blade  
  
Peter and Edmund sat off to one side of the trail, talking quietly amongst themselves about what they should do next. A little bit away, Susan was reminding Lucy about the myth of the blade of Aslan. "It all started with the beginning of Narnia. When the chaos that would become Narnia came into creation, there was only a single man. A man born with the name of Aslan.  
  
Lucy looked puzzled at that. "But Aslan isn't a man, he's a lion."  
  
Susan held up a hand to quiet her. "I'm getting to that. It was his task to create all other life in Narnia. But first he had to conquer the other side of Narnia and defeat it. Light is always accompanied by dark. In that way, good is always accompanied by evil. Aslan had to fight the nameless source of evil in Narnia if he would wish for good to flourish over Narnia. To fight, the only weapon that accompanied him was a weapon beyond anything else of creation. Steel tempered by the heat of love and sharpened with flawless perfection."  
  
Lucy nodded and said, "You mean the blade of Aslan."  
  
"Yes. Aslan fought this battle for days on end, before the evil was finally defeated. Exhausted and wounded, Aslan collapsed to the ground and died. His task complete, the good that surged through his body and blood, began to spread over the whole country. Narnia had finally been born and the good would govern over all."  
  
"But if Aslan is dead, then how come he can come back? And why is he a lion now?"  
  
"Aslan is the source of all good in Narnia. As long as good remains in Narnia, then so shall he. And he is a lion now, because he cannot return in the same way that he was. So he returns as an animal. The one that most reflects his power, strength, and courage. A lion."  
  
"What happened with the blade of Aslan?"  
  
"As the myth goes, it says that the blade was laid down into the earth as Aslan fell after the battle. The best that can be determined is that it was somewhere in the Unknown Islands. The legend goes on to say that any who claim the blade for their own, become virtually invincible. The power of Aslan will flow through their arms. And with it, comes the power to wipe out good forever. And wipe away all memory and existence there ever was of Aslan's presence in the country."  
  
Lucy took it all in and said, "So it's very important for us to get that sword back from Parlex as soon as possible."  
  
From behind her, Peter said, "It's not as simple as all that now, Lucy. With the loss of Cair Paravel, we have no haven. And we have to fight an enemy that we have virtually no knowledge of."  
  
Edmund looked at Peter. "Peter, that doesn't sound anything to you like when he were here last time?"  
  
"Things are different now, than last time Ed."  
  
Edmund folded his arms and said, "Aside from the potion being gone, like what?"  
  
Peter was very tempted to tell Edmund about what Aslan had told him, but didn't. He knew that there had to be a reason for Aslan not wanting Edmund to know. He opened his mouth to speak, but didn't have a chance to say anything, because they heard a voice say, "I thought I heard something coming from over here! It might be more Narnians running from the castle!"  
  
Another voice came through, a little deeper. "Well than go and look fool! Don't give them a chance to run and hide again!"  
  
All four of them hid behind trees and shrubs. Peter was with Susan and Edmund was with Lucy. Soon a knight in dark armor with the Telemarine insignia on his chest came lurking around and just passed by Peter and Susan. Peter snuck behind him and grabbed a hold of him, tackling him to the ground.  
  
Edmund jumped out to help Peter, just as another knight came out on a horse with a hand on his sword, unsheathing it toward Peter. Edmund raised his sword and deflected the blade from hitting Peter in the back. Edmund grabbed a hold of the knight's other arm and tore him down from his horse.  
  
As the knight picked himself up from the ground, he kept his eyes on Edmund. "In a few seconds, you're going to wish you'd stayed out of this fight."  
  
Edmund raised his sword in his fighting stance. "I doubt that very much."  
  
The knight raised his sword and swung his at Edmund's head. Edmund blocked it away and swept his blade down the knight's feet. When they brought their blades back up, Edmund saw that half of his sword had been cut off.  
  
He gaped at the blade and then looked at the knight, who had his sword pointed at his chest. "You pathetic little fool! Do you think a boy can defeat me? I am Parlex and soon, I will rule all of Narnia!"  
  
Edmund just stared into his eyes. "Don't count on it!"  
  
Just then a large rock flew through the air and his Parlex square in the back. Parlex fell to one knee and turned around in time to see Peter standing there, near the unconscious body of another Telemarine soldier. A couple of arrows shot through the air missed Parlex by inches.  
  
Parlex looked at Peter and Edmund and hopped back onto his horse. "I'll see you two again. And by then, I will be the sole ruler of the world!" His horse began trotting away as more sounds came out through the forest.  
  
They were two Narnians on horses. One of them was unmistakably, King Caspian, but no longer a boy. He had to be reaching his forties, by now. He took a look at Peter and Edmund, then at Susan and Lucy as they got out from hiding and smiled. "It seems that time doesn't have much of an effect the great kings and queens of Narnia."  
  
Relieved to see that he was all right, Peter asked Caspian, "So how long has it been since last time?"  
  
"It's been just over twenty five years. And I'm very grateful that you are all here. We need your help now more than ever."  
  
Lucy nodded and said, "We passed by a wounded soldier on the way here. But it was too late to do anything for him. But we know enough to know what's going on."  
  
Susan spoke up with, "But for now, is there anywhere we can go for some safety?"  
  
Caspian said, "During war, no where is safe, but I can take you to the safest place we know of. Come, on the way there, I can fill in any gaps in your knowledge of the current events." 


End file.
